Gradometer



H. G. LEWIS AND W. S. MAYER.

Patented May 17, 1921.

Inventor UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY c. LEWIS AND WALTER s. MAYER, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNORS, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO SAID MAYER.

GRADOMETER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 1'7, 1921.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, .HENRY G. LEWIS and WALTER S. MAYER, citizens of the United States, and residents of the city of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have jointly invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gradometers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improved means adapted for indicating grades generally but is desi ned primarily for application to motor veliicles, as to the cowl or dash, for the purpose of indicating the roadway gradient upon which the vehicle is standing or mov- The chief object of the invention is to provide an improved construction that is simple, eflicient, durable, self-contained, readily applied and readily adjusted to different positions of use.

The characteristic features of the invention are disclosed in the forms thereof set out in the following description and the accompanying drawings in illustration thereof.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a form of our improved device; Fig. 2 is a part sectional side view of the same; Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3 3" of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a front elevation of a second form of the device,

and Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5"5 of Fig. 4.

The invention, in the form shown in igs. 1 to 3 inclusive, comprises a rim 1 having a peripheral flange l, a curved shell 2 having a peripheral flange 2 and a spheroidal dial 3 having a central slot 4 with scales 4' at the sides thereof and having a peripheral flange 3 clamped between the flanges 1 and 2, the dial being covered by a glass 5 carried by the rim. The shell is designed to be set in an automobile cowl or dash with the connected flanges engaged thereto.

An arbor 6 is supported in the shell 2, transversely. to the slot 4, by the studs 7 and 8 set in opposite sides thereof, and a toothed weight 9, preferably symmetrical with reference to atransverse axis, is journaled eccentrically on the arbor, the weight having a serrated hub'10 fixed thereto concentrically with the arbor, and acting in an oil bath for damping its oscillations.

A lever 11 is mounted loosely on the arbor 6,'adjacent to the hub 10, and has a member 11 extending laterally therefrom across the hub. A bolt on shaft 12, in the plane of the slot 4, extends through the member 11, is provided at its outer end with a double indicator or hand 12' adapted to move over the scales 4, and has at its inner end the shouldered tooth 12" adapted to engage the serrations of the hub 10 in normal relation thereto. The tooth 12" 'is held in engagement with the hub 10 by a sprlng on the bolt 12, the spring bearmg agalnst the parts 11 and 12". I

The device is set, for accommodation to the different angles between the horizontal and the vertical which it (the plane of its flange 3') mayloccupy on a car that 'is on a level way, by drawing out the bolt 12 so as'to disengage the tooth 12" from the hub 10, settlng the pointer 12' at zero on the scales 4, permitting the weight 9 to assume its normal position and reengaging the tooth with the hub, where it is held by the spring 13.

When the car, with the device thus set, stands or moves on a grade, the gradient will be indicated by the action of the weight 9 through the hub 10 on the bolt 12 which sets the pointer 12 at the side of the zero marks on the scales 4' and at the position indicating the degree or percentage of the ascending or descending grade, as the case may be.

In the form of the device illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, the rim l6 and the shell 17 have a dial 18 clamped between them, the rim being provided with a glass 19. The arbor 20, carried by studs 21 and 22 set in the shell 17, has journaled eccentrically thereon the toothed disk 23 acting in a bath of oil and providing a weight symmetrical with reference to a transverse axis and which has fixed thereto concentrically with the arbor 20 a beveled gear 24, the disk acting in oil contained in the shell to damp its action.

A beveled pinion 25 is' fixed on a shaft 26, which is journaled inthe dial 18, and engages the beveled gear 24. The shaft 26 has thereon a hand 27 which is movable over the circular scale 18' of the dial 18.

' said dial and means whereby the movement of said weight about its axis moves said stand on the side of theizero point and at the positionindicating the grade, whether up or down.-

This device is also adapted for use'with the dial 18 at any position between the hOI'lzontal and the vertical when the car is level, by setting the ea'r25 on the shaft 26 so that the hand 27 w1ll stand at the zero p0- sition on the scale or by settin the hand relatively to the shaft, the weig t 23 being in its normal position. v

This mechanism, employing a symmetrical weight journaled byvmeans of an arbor. not greatly removed from its centerof ity, is sensitive without being unstab e m operation. 1

Having descrlbed our inventlon, we claim 1. A dometer comprising a rim provided w1th a flange, a shell provided-with a flange, a dial clamped betweensaid. flanges, an arbor supported in said shell, an oscillatory weight mounted eccentrically on said arbor in said shell, a pointer movable over pointer pro ortionately over saiddial.

2. A gra ometer comprising a shellcontaining a liquid, an arbor having a horizontal axis .journaled in said shell, a weight fixed eccentricall to said arbor and movable in said liqui and an indicating device fixed to said arbor and movable in a vertical are by said weight.

3. A gr'adom'eter comprising a shell .con-

taining a liquid, an arbor in said shell, a

symmetrical weight, journaled eccentrically by means of said arbor, an indicating device movable in a vertical are by means'ofsaid weight actin through said arbor, and means for ad uSting the relation of said indicatingdevice to said weight and arbor;

: 4. A 'radometer comprising a shell providedwith a liquid bath, an arbor supported in said shell, a weight journa'led eccentrically by means of said arbor so as to oscillate in said bath, teeth fixed to said weight concentrically to said arbor, a shaft, a pointer fixed to said shaft, a dial fixed to 'mally in adjusta dial.

said shell and means connected adjustably in relation to said teeth andoperated there by to operate said shaft and move said pointer in a circular. are over said dial.

.5, A gradometer comprising a weight having a substantially horizontal axis of oscillation removed from its center'of gravity, means for damlging the oscillations of saidweight, a sha disposed transversely ,to said axis, and'connected' to said weight so as to oscillate in 'asubsta'ntially vertical plane, an indicatmg device carried by said shaft, and a dial over whichsaid device is movable by said shaft.

6. A gradometer comprising ,a weight having an axis of OSClllfiiJlOIl removed from its "center of gravity, a toothed hub fixed to said weight, a sprin pressed bolt connected. normally in adjusta le relation to said hub,- a. pointer carried by said bolt. and a dial over which said pointer is movable. 7. A gradometer comprising a shell, a dial provided with a slot fixed to said shell, an arbor fixed in said shell transversel to said slot, an oscillatory weight mounte eccentrically on said arbor, a serrated hub fixed to said weight concentrically to said cally with its axis of oscillation, a sprin pressed bolt supported b said lever in a justable relation to said ub, and a pointer carried and movable by said bolt over said In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our names this 20th day of October, 1919.

' HENRY G. LEWIS.

WALTER S. MAYER. 

